Our ‘Whatever Happened To’ series exploring the status of once-popular West Michigan bands catches up with members of Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, which played its last show in 2018. Find out where they are now and what the future may (or may not) hold.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From singer-songwriter charm to bass music to rock ‘n’ roll to rising-star country to metalcore, West Michigan’s music week pumped up fans of all stripes. It also produced an on-stage butt tattoo for one of the touring artists. Really. Get the lowdown and view all the photos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids band releasing a new album tonight was featured for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Jack Droppers, The Accidentals, Oxford Fields, Sage Castleberry and more. Learn more about Y-Not and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio
After playing a much-celebrated set at the WYCE Jammie Awards on Friday, Grand Rapids guitarist and songwriter Elijah Russ today reveals the recordings that have impacted him most.. Get his back story and listen to tracks from all of the recordings at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Weekend Photo Gallery
Michigan’s wintry weekend delivered more than snow: Bands heated up stages from Grand Rapids to Comstock Park to Kalamazoo to Ann Arbor. The photo galleries and recaps at Local Spins, including coverage of The Floozies, Buku, Hail Your Highness, Lucius Fox and much more.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
Melding elements of jazz, psychedelia, Motown, pop, R&B, funk and more into its approach, Pajamas is starting to make waves across the state. The Artist Spotlight at Local Spins, along with videos of the band’s live performances.
From tour stops by Greensky Bluegrass, Straight No Chaser, Daryl Hall and Todd Rundgren to Thanksgiving eve parties starring Desmond Jones, Hannah Rose Graves and more, it’s a jam-packed week. Get the lowdown and a list of shows at Local Spins.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
After an insanely busy summer, Local Spins is back with a batch of reviews of 2022 releases by Michigan artists, from dark rock to folk to Gypsy swing to jam-band glory, plus a look at projects by Wild Honey Collective and Jeremy Ensley. Learn more about these diverse recordings and listen to tracks from each release.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The week leading up to Labor Day brought a diverse mix of artists — national and local — to area stages. Local Spins was there to document the late-summer revelry in photos.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Uncategorized · Upcoming shows
The Labor Day weekend festival at Liberty Mountain also boasts more than 50 Michigan acts, from Biomassive to Desmond Jones. Get the preview and the Big Fam Festival playlist at Local Spins.
The South Bend-bred prog-fusion band that got its start playing small West Michigan venues proved its fan-fueled, instrumental mettle in a sold-out show at Meijer Gardens on Wednesday. Revisit the evening via the Local Spins review, photo gallery and set list.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Local Spins has compiled some of the top highlights from the three-day celebration on Shagbark Farm, along with photos and videos. Revisit the final edition of this festival in southern Kent County.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The Traverse City band which lit up Cowpie Music Fest on Friday debuted new music for Local Spins on WYCE, which aired fresh tracks by Act Casual, The Accidentals, Strange Heart, The Aquaerials, Adrian Jay and more. Get the back story on Biomassive and listen to this week’s full radio show podcast.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The southern Kent County festival’s final salvo began with a sultry bang on Thursday, featuring standout sets by MonoNeon, Mungion, Desmond Jones, Cosmic Knot and more. The recap and photos, only at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Fans couldn’t have asked for a better weekend to soak in live music in the great outdoors, especially at cozy festivals in Morley and Allegan. Plus, Blackberry Smoke sizzled in its Kalamazoo tour stop. Browse the photos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Photos · Videos
The celebrated keyboardist who’s transcribed Phish and Grateful Dead jams for piano is lovingly termed the ‘sixth member’ of Greensky Bluegrass while also fronting Ghost Light. The Local Spins interview with this budding star who boasts West Michigan roots.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The live music parade started on Monday with a farewell concert by mewithoutyou in Kalamazoo and continued through a resplendent week of weather with outdoor shows in Rockford and at Meijer Gardens, Studio Park and Bell’s Beer Garden. The photo recaps exclusively at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
With Desmond Jones, Bootstrap Boys, Cosmic Knot and more West Michigan acts on the bill, next weekend’s cozy affair has ‘cute and endearing’ written all over it — part of a trend toward intimate regional music festivals. Learn more about the origins of the Tamarack and view the lineup at Local Spins.
The spectacle in the Rothbury woods wrapped up in the wee hours Sunday, sending tens of thousands of revelers home tired but happy. Check out some of the highlights in this recap and browse four photo galleries.
Listen to the June 24 edition of the show, devoted to spotlighting artists set to perform during Saturday’s Jammie Awards at The Intersection.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The weekend was full of surprises, including a giant turnout for City Built Brewing’s Bridge Blast on the 6th Street Bridge with performances by J.Rob, Biomassive and more, plus a Start of Summer tribute to David Bowie, the return of Brie Stoner and eclectic shows in Kalamazoo. Browse the photo galleries, watch the videos at Local Spins.
West Michigan’s weekend kicked off with a musical bang, thanks to a much-anticipated Chvrches tour stop, not to mention Trixy Tang, Desmond Jones, Bronk Bros. & Roosevelt Diggs revving up Rockford and a Listening Lawn tribute to Tom Petty.
Enthused, happy crowds cheered Friday’s Local Spins 10th anniversary double-header: Jake Kershaw and Hank Mowery at a packed Tip Top Deluxe, Desmond Jones with The Legal Immigrants at Elevation. Get the recaps and browse photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
The series announced today features a record 33 shows, including the return of Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Goo Goo Dolls and The Decemberists. Fans can expect higher ticket prices, too. View the full schedule and get details at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
Christian music star Jeremy Camp also is among touring artists announced for N. Michigan’s Interlochen Arts Festival. Details at Local Spins.
Launching a St. Patrick’s Day celebration a few weeks early, Gaelic Storm kicked up its heels Tuesday, followed by jam band Proxima Parada and Kalamazoo’s own Fake Baseball on Wednesday. Get the show recaps and view the photos at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Features · Music and Technology
Created by a South Bend tech startup, the innovative app is being embraced by some West Michigan acts as a way of connecting with fans and monetizing their performances. Get the details at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
After a quiet 2020, the night before Thanksgiving in 2021 showed signs of reviving the musical flurry that’s traditionally kicked off the holiday weekend. Local Spins captured the vibe at three of the shows on Wednesday in words and images.
The progressive metro Detroit jam fusion band has released two new tracks this fall as it prepares to release its full-length debut album and gets revved up for a three-day New Year’s Eve bash. Learn more about Act Casual in this Artist Spotlight feature, a partnership with Ypsilanti’s Grove Studios.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The Grand Rapids jam band with a big upcoming Thanksgiving Eve show went acoustic for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Lucy Lowis, Aquaerials, Lexi Adams, Allie Fennema and more. The back story, radio show podcast and more at Local Spins.
For diehard fans of two well-known touring bands, it proved to be a far different concert experience this weekend in Grand Rapids. The recaps and photo galleries at Local Spins.
The Traverse City alt-folk band brings its tour behind “Vessel” to Grand Rapids and other Michigan cities this week. Find out what concertgoers can expect, view the latest Hot Top 5 chart of new local and regional releases and listen to tracks from all of the albums.
Grand Rapids’ Desmond Jones, celebrating a new album, closes out the party that will also boast a headlining set by The Hacky Turtles, plus appearances by Flexadecibel, Melophobix, Nathan Walton & The Remedy and the Polyphonic Element. Get the full schedule for this event that was forced to take a one-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic.
Umphrey’s McGree uncorked a jam-band spectacle the same night Luke Winslow-King fired up Studio Park & Laura Rain played the final GRAM on the Green. Revisit all three shows in recaps and photo galleries at Local Spins.
Features · Upcoming shows · Venue Spotlight
The charming and unique ‘right-on-the-water’ club in Douglas bids farewell at the end of the season after hosting regional bands and national touring acts for more than two decades. Discover the back story and browse a photo gallery at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
’Finally, the music is back.’ The inaugural festival in Trufant reveled in good weather, camaraderie and the return of live performances. Get the recap, photos and video highlights at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
After skipping concerts in 2020, the outdoor amphitheater resumes its main summer series on July 18 with Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Grand Rapids Symphony. The full lineup at Local Spins, with ticket prices and other details.
This weekend’s debut of outdoor live music events in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo had music lovers basking not only in the sunshine and heat, but finally getting a taste of what the rest of summer 2021 has in store. The event recaps and photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts · Upcoming shows
On Friday night, Desmond Jones and Earth Radio kick off City Built’s new concert series in a unique new location along the river in Grand Rapids’ Monroe North district. The lowdown at Local Spins, along with information about new Sunday afternoon jam sessions with Mark Lavengood.
The two Traverse City bands released new EPs this spring that earned them lots of attention and lots of radio airplay at WYCE-FM. Check out their reaction to the news, discover what other albums made the May chart and listen to songs from the featured artists.
Summer Concerts · Summer Festivals
While Interlochen is still assessing prospects for staging concerts this summer, a brand new festival and a fourth-year ‘micro’ event will bring live music to northern Michigan’s great outdoors. Get the lowdown on these events at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Guest Column
The second installment in the Local Spins series recounting our critics’ most bizarre concert experiences continues with tales of outlandish musical misery, courtesy of the one and only John Serba — from a Motley Crue debacle to jam-band hell.
New albums from River City Narrative and Anonymous Phone Call are also part of this week’s roundup of new Michigan releases. Check out the reviews and listen to music from each of this week’s featured artists.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
Milder October weather will greet music fans this week for an assortment of outdoor shows featured on The Big List, including a one-day music festival near Morley and another Cherry Park Live show in Grand Rapids. See the full list of concerts at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Glorious late-September weather provided the perfect setting for several high-profile outdoor shows in Grand Rapids, from Earth Radio to Melophobix. The recaps, photos and video highlights at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
Belknap’s first-ever drive-in show on Friday impressed fans and bands alike with socially distanced fun and music that reverberated through the neighborhood just north of downtown Grand Rapids. The Local Spins review with photos and video highlights.
Big List Concert Guide · Upcoming shows
The days of outdoor shows in Michigan are numbered, so the final week of September features some of the final concerts and festivals at various locations across the region. The lowdown, as always, on The Big List at Local Spins.
Album Releases · Artist Spotlights · Audio · Videos
Forced to shelve a new studio recording due to COVID-19, the West Michigan electronic rock band and festival favorite has instead leaned on its live-show prowess to satiate fans. Read more about the band, listen to a track from the new live album and watch a video of a recent live set at Third Coast Recording.
Features · Weekend Photo Gallery
Today’s entry in our series spotlighting Local Spins photographers focuses on Nathan Purchase, with his favorite concert photos of artists such as Umphrey’s McGee, Tame Impala, Billy Strings, My Morning Jacket, Greensky Bluegrass and, of course, Desmond Jones. View the photos and get the stories behind his classic shots.
This edition of our concert week-in-review spotlights some W. Michigan tour stops by fan favorites — from metalcore to indie-folk to bluegrass to a funky jam band. Browse all of the images at Local Spins.
